CLAY PERFECTIONsince 1924

»

»On 1st September 1924, Benedikt Goerg and Alois

Schneider founded the unlimited mercantile company

GOERG & SCHNEIDER in Siershahn (Westerwald).

The company has specialised in the extraction and

treatment of clay for over 90 years. Since its estab-

lishment it has mined many deposits of this natural

raw material, mainly in the Central Westerwald.

The aim of the company is to develop and produce

market-orientated products that comply with the

quality requirements and expectations of our

customers. This involves flexibility not only in the

composition of the raw material mixtures, but also

in the delivery methods and supply readiness. In this

way we can develop complete raw material solutions

for discerning customers while taking into account

company capacity and employees’ needs.

One name forgenerations. GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

TRADITION

02 | 03

GOERG & SCHNEIDER is one of the leading com-

panies in the Westerwald for the extraction and

preparation of clay ceramic raw materials. These

form the basis for customized clay mixtures, raw

chamotte and bodies for the fabrication of ceramic

and fi reproof products. We have produced plastic-

and pottery bodies for 25 years.

Hartmut Goerg Martina Goerg

GOERG & SCHNEIDER has always been a classic

family company whose legal form is GmbH u. Co.KG,

in the sole ownership of the GOERG family, It is now

in the third generation of management under the

personally liable managing partner Dipl. Wirtsch. Ing.

Hartmut Goerg and his wife Dipl. Betriebswirtin

Martina Goerg. The fourth generation is already

preparing for succession.

»The mined kaolinitic-illitic clays are found only in the

Westerwald. They are the essence of continual pro-

duct innovation and development. The present range

of products results from selective extraction being

graded by quality combined with preparation and

other modern further processing. In addition to pro-

duct manufacture, GOERG & SCHNEIDER offers such

services as laboratory analysis, excavation/tipping,

weighing and arrangement of suitable transport.

Raw material supply and individual raw material solutions.GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

VARIETY

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Quarry-wet raw- and blended clays are extracted

from different clay deposits. As lump clay they are

mechanically crushed. In order to achieve the requi-

red mixtures, GOERG & SCHNEIDER puts together

several raw clays in a precise ratio. They are then ho-

mogenized by a horizontal and vertical interspersion

in several blending- and homogenisation plants. The

company has mainly light- and white firing raw clays

for the application in all building ceramic fields.

Milled clays are produced by drying and dry grinding

on the basis of shredded raw clays. They have a re-

sidual moisture of about 1 % and a fineness of <100

µm. The required milled clay mixture consistency is

created by the fully automatic blending of the single

components and the subsequent intensive circula-

tion and mixing process in the homogenisation silo.

The white-, yellow- and red firing raw kaolin is ex-

tracted from a primary deposit in the Taunus area.

The slate-like raw material is mined selectively and

separately stockpiled according to quality. Due to

their positive drying and firing properties, the raw

kaolin is especially used as an additive in the bodies

for the casting- and building ceramics.

»Bodies are produced by mixing milled clays and other

mineral raw materials, such as feldspar, calcium

silicate and chamotte. The type and quantity of these

aggregates determine the bodies’ product properties.

The mixing and homogenization of components in an

air current are electronically controlled operations.

Bodies are available as powders, in pellets (about

10 % – 12 % humidity) or as extruded plastic bodies

(about 18 % – 25 % humidity).

Plastic bodies are formed in lumps by means of a

vacuum press. These are sold to customers within

the industry or in 10 kg pieces to potters and hobby

ceramicists. The body properties and composition are

tailored to specific applications, e.g. throwing, pres-

sing, stamping, coiling or modelling. A wide firing range

of between 1000 °C and 1300 °C makes it possible

to obtain various firing colours whose colour stability

depends solely on natural raw materials.

Bodies ofGOERG & SCHNEIDER.

VARIETY

06 | 07

Casting slips with corresponding rheological pro-

perties, such as a wide deflocculation interval, are

based on special raw material components that are

suitable for this. Standard casting slips are available

as well as tiles- and special casting bodies developed

to meet customers’ specific requirements.

GOERG & SCHNEIDER offers a high-quality English

porcelain body with fine translucency. Its very good

processing properties and high degree of whiteness

make it exceptional. The firing range is between

1220 °C – 1280 °C

Artist: Fritz Roßmann

»Chamotte, Raw chamotte, is solely fired clay. Its

properties are determined by the selected clays,

their mixing ratio and the firing conditions. For the

fabrication of chamotte, several shredded clays are

mixed, homogenized, moistened with water and

plastic formed and extruded in a press. After cutting

in 15 kg – 20 kg portions, an automatic setting plant

piles up the clay lumps on kiln cars.

First the clay lumps are dried at about 200 °C. The

subsequent firing is carried out in a modern tunnel

kiln whose firing system ensures consistent quality.

Depending on the quality and requested properties

of the raw chamotte, different firing curves with a

max. firing temperature of 1350 °C are used.

Raw chamottes.GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

VARIETY

08 | 09

The fired chamotte lumps are pre-crushed and

subsequently ground. The “low-iron” grinding en-

sures also an extensive elimination of low-magnetic

components. The following sieving classifies the

chamottes in different grain fractions which can be

combined to form customer specific grain sizes.

The milled chamottes are dispatched in bags, big

bags or in bulk (by silo-truck). As a “semi-finished

product” they cannot be used alone but form part

of other applications, for example casting bodies

in sanitary ware or in earthenware ceramics. They

are applied in semi-wet prepared structural ceramic

bodies for the production of plastic extruded slabs

and tiles, or in bodies for large-sized ceramics.

»The clay mine deposit near Boden has had the

highest production capacity for many years. It has

the company’s biggest long-term clay-reserves.

These have been approved provisionally until 2068.

This deposit has the company’s biggest mixture-

and homogenisation plant and has its own rail

loading facility.

The clay deposit “Stoß” in Haiger-Langenaubach

has very light- and white firing clays with an excep-

tional dry bending strength. Individual qualities are

contained in numerous mixtures for the tile- and

sanitary ceramics as well as earthenware- and fine

stoneware ceramics. The opencast clay mine has its

own mixture- and homogenisation plant. Quartzite

is extracted as a by-product: this can be marketed

in rough-cut or milled form.

Production continuity.GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

RELIABILITY

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The raw kaolin deposit near Kettenbach/Taunus has

white-, yellow- and red firing sericitic kaolin respect-

ively clays with exceptional drying properties. They

are mainly used in the clinker- and brick industry.

The white firing quality is mainly applied in the cast-

ing ceramics. The current and future operating- and

extraction area for raw kaolin is 20 ha with about 1.5

million tons of usable raw kaolin (of that abt. 2/3 is

yellow- and red firing).

As co-owner of company MTG Mittelhessische

Tonbergbau GmbH & Co.KG, Gießen, GOERG &

SCHNEIDER has access to the raw materials which

are extracted and prepared there.

»Quality control of the products starts with the ex-

ploration of the deposits on site. First exploitable

deposits are pegged out by means of core drilling.

Strata profiles, arising from the drill holes in the

fine-meshed system of coordinates, provide in-

formation about quality and quantity on the clay

zones. Sampling at the face controls the production

process in order to ensure consistent production

quality.

Quality testing and assessment are performed con-

tinuously during processing of the different pro-

ducts. This is done using representative samples

most of which are taken directly from the material

flow mainly by means of automatic samplers and

sample dividers. The essential parameters in the

raw material specification sheets are defined by DIN

regulations, the recommendations of the German

Ceramic Society (DKG) and customer-specific agree-

ments.

Dependability and availability.GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

QUALITY

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Analysis in our central laboratory:

Raw clay: chemical composition, fi ring behaviour,

castability, dry bending strength, sieve residue.

Lump chamotte: water absorption, fi ring colour, coef-

fi cient of thermal expansion, chemical analysis.

Milled chamotte: particle-size distribution, magnetic

residue.

Milled clay: particle-size distribution, fi ring colour,

fi ring shrinkage, chemical analysis.

Bodies: Drying- and fi ring shrinkage, porosity, plastici-

ty, workability, castability and body formation.

Quality- and energy management optimize the eff ec-

tiveness and guarantee process- and product qual-

ity. Certifi cation in accordance with ISO 9001:2008

confi rms the continuous process improvements and

supports global competitiveness.

»

Prior to the clay extraction, which implies interfer-

ence with natural raw materials lying just under the

surface, GOERG & SCHNEIDER has carefully drawn

up plans prepared by experts in site exploitation

planning. These plans regulate extraction, prepara-

tion and re-cultivation during the entire working life

of an extraction site.

Imission- and emission forecasts in respect of noise

and dust form a basis for technical safety measures

in order to ensure admissible level sound limits in

the preparation plants. They also guarantee emis-

sion limits for the grinding plants and tunnel kiln.

Precipitation water from the opencast workings and

the plant area are led in settling basins. A maximum

part of the water-muddying clay particle sediments

before flowing into public waters.

Environment for generations. GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

SUSTAINABILITY

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Through low-waste product design- and processing as

well as reusable big bags and pallets, the company

reduces the packing material and meets the legal pack-

ing regulations. Raw clay transport to the customer is

carried out either by truck or by wagon via our own rail

access.

GOERG & SCHNEIDER attaches great importance to

energy efficiency. Plants and vehicles are state-of-

the-art. Electrical devices are constantly maintained

as are energy saving lamps and motion detectors.

Buildings are thermodynamically controlled and

photo-voltaic plants reduce the CO2 emission.

Since 2012 the company has established an energy

management system and was awarded a Rhineland-

Palatinate raw material prize in the same year.

»GOERG & SCHNEIDER is not only a family business,

but is also family-friendly. The GOERG family great-

ly value the loyalty and trust of their employees.

Company celebrations, the honouring of jubilees,

sport activities and a modern social centre contrib-

ute to staff welfare. Holiday care for pupils offers

parents facilities for child activity and supervision

during the school holidays.

GOERG & SCHNEIDER invests in future employees

through five different apprenticeships: “Industrial

Management Assistant”, “Industrial Mechanic”,

“Industrial Ceramist Plant Engineering”, “Industrial

Electronics Technician” and “Materials Tester

Ceramics”. Young people can gain the necessary

expertise within a 3 to 3.5 years training period.

After finishing their apprenticeship they can take

advantage of many further education opportunities

to improve professional qualifications.

Fully-qualified staffwho know theirbusiness. We trainedthem ourselves.GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

KNOW-HOW

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Within the framework of the Deutschland-scholar-

ship, GOERG & SCHNEIDER supports talented and

motivated students with their major in Materials

Engineering, Glass and Ceramics as well as Stone

and Earth. Experienced personnel assist with ba-

chelor or master’s theses in these fields. There is the

opportunity to complete an internship lasting several

weeks, which offers first insights into the working

world and different job fields.

Regular participation in seminars ensures an up-

to-date know-how. Employees’ further education is

facilitated by release from work or by financial contri-

bution. In particular GOERG & SCHNEIDER supports

ambitious junior employees doing further education

to State Certified Ceramic Technician. This further

education, shaped by both sides, normally leads to a

responsible position in the company.

Foto

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German scholarship

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GOERG & SCHNEIDER operates not only within

Germany, but is also represented by agencies

in other European countries. A total of around

400,000 tons of ceramic clays, raw chamotte and

ready-to-use bodies are produced, prepared and

marketed annually. Exports make up about 50 %

of all products sold and are distributed to a total of

20 countries with an emphasis on Europe.

Deliveries are mainly effected from the intermediate

storage facilities at Boden either by truck, rail or

barge from the Rhine port. For orders, consultation

and service, experienced employees are on hand in

Siershahn as well as at our foreign agencies. Ce-

ramic-trained and experienced sales engineers play

a prominent role in supporting the technical advisory

service so that the customers receive the most

suitable product from the wide product range.

Perfect clay has perfect dependability.GOERG & SCHNEIDER.

SALES

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GOERG & SCHNEIDER serves customers in all sectors

of the ceramics industry. Stoneware applications,

primarily floor tiles, dominate the sales of raw clay

and chamotte. Beyond that, the earthenware sector

for the production of wall and stove tiles, is an im-

portant sales area. A smaller amount of the products

is used in the manufacture of ceramic sanitary ware

and tableware as well as in the refractory- and acid-

proof industry.

The ready-to-use ceramic bodies, available as pow-

der, pellets and plastic extruded lumps are used in

earthenware, stoneware, tiles and special ceramics.

They are formed using a wide range of processes:

throwing, stamping, pressing, coiling and casting

and are available in a variety of fired colours. In

addition to around 40 standard bodies, tailored

problem solutions are developed.

Goerg & Schneider GmbH u. Co. KGBahnhofstraße 4 · D-56427 Siershahnwww.goerg-schneider.de

» GOERG & SCHNEIDER´s KNOWLEDGE and EXPERTISE have made CLAY for DECADES.